Method and system for publication and revision or hierarchically organized sets of static intranet and internet web pages

ABSTRACT

A method, system and computer program product for revising and publishing electronic documents. Two sets of electronic documents are generated and maintained on first and second computers. One set is stored on a first computer, for example, as static web pages at a company site. Another set is stored on a second computer at a non-local site such as, for example, an Internet server where the electronic documents are accessible to clients. Any modifications in the set of electronic documents at the local or company site are logged in a log file, and the set of electronic documents at the non-local site is modified accordingly so as to produce what appears to the client as a “dynamic” set of web pages. The revision and publication occurs through generation on the first computer of at least one category list document containing an item identifier, an item category, and descriptive data with hyperlinks to underlying detailed description electronic document files. The category list documents group items together which belong in a given category. The category list and the underlying detailed description electronic document files are saved in a format for accessing from a general viewer program such as, for example, a web browser. The detailed description data may also stored as text based records in, for example, a file of text records or a database of text records at the local site.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a method, system, and computerprogram product for production, revision, and hierarchical organizationof electronic documents for local or global electronic networkpublication in the form of web browser- or word processor-accessibledocuments containing automatically updated lists with summaryinformation of and hyperlinks to an underlying set of electronicdocuments with detailed information for each item in a given list.

2. Discussion of the Background

Software tools are now available to simplify the design and publicationof static home pages in markup languages such as, for example, HyperText Markup Language (“HTML”) or eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”)formatted text files in combination with graphics files for World WideWeb (web) publishing. Exemplary software tools include MicrosoftFrontPage, NetObjects Fusion, and HotMetal Pro. The main advantage ofstatic home pages is the ease of design of static home pages utilizingtext files with embedded “tags,” and the structural power inherent inlinking documents using hyperlinks. The main disadvantage of static homepage designs arises when the contents of the static pages requiresfrequent updates, particularly when such frequent updates involve addingand deleting a significant number of pages, as well as adding anddeleting hyperlinks that refer to those updated pages from other partsof a given web page structure. For example, adding a new productdescription page or removing an existing page from a product catalog onthe web normally involves revisions of additional pages. Thoseadditional pages may include summary lists, or tables, of variousproducts and product groups, which in turn may have hyperlinks to moredetailed descriptions on the product description pages.

Microsoft FrontPage checks hyperlinks and creates reports ofmalfunctioning links between a summary list file and a detaileddescription file for each item in the summary list file. However, inresponse to adding or deleting the detailed description and graphicalfiles, it does not automatically create, modify, or remove itemsummaries and their respective hyperlinks in the list.

As the burden of updating and organizing frequently revised static pagesincreases, some web site designers have chosen to use a database systemwith functions that generate interfaces between a database and webbrowsers in an HTML framework. For example, it is possible that a pagemay contain only page design tags and script commands, while the page'sinformation contents may be retrieved dynamically from anInternet-connected server database's records and fields. U.S. Pat. No.5,835,712 to DuFresne discloses such a technique. Active Server Pagesrunning on the Microsoft Personal Web browser are another technique.FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a web document where data are retrieved froma database. In the web page design shown in FIG. 1A, a web page 100includes a begin tag 102 and an end tag 108 and one line of code 106 forthe web page publisher. The line of code 106 includes the database nameand a Structured Query Language (“SQL”) query. FIG. 1B shows a web page110 including data returned from the database as it would appear to anend user. For setup and frequent maintenance of simple HTML-formattedpages as shown in FIG. 1A, many users have opted to use a client/serverdatabase web page solution (even for quite small data volumes and arelatively moderately sized updating frequency).

The dynamic retrieval occurs “on demand” and as defined from the pagescript commands. Thus, if information is changed in the database, thisrevision will automatically appear on the database-linked web page thenext time a browser requests this page. Hereafter, this solution isreferred to as a database-centric web page solution, and web pages whichutilize this solution are referred to as database-centric web pages.

Dynamic web page publishing, including database-centric web pages andform-initiated database queries (i.e., search engine systems), ratherthan presenting this information in the form of pre-formatted or“static” web pages, requires that the information is retrievedon-the-fly from a database on the Internet or Intranet server onrequest. Queries to the database are processed by script programs whichexecute a search engine's algorithms to retrieve all the relevant datarecords from the database that satisfy a specific query from a user. Thesearch engine then returns an HTML-formatted screen image of a list of“hits” to the user who has submitted the query. The user may then selectone specific item on the list, and thereby engage the search engine oncemore to retrieve the full record information for this specific item anddisplay it, for example, on a computer screen. Thus, each querygenerates a new search result from scratch. The database and the searchengine reside, for example, either on a company's server or Intranetserver, or on an Internet Service provider's Internet server.

A database-centric web page solution offers a large degree of functionalflexibility and power to handle dynamic publication of large amounts ofdata on the web. In addition, a database-centric web page solution hasthe advantage of maintaining a given web page design, or profile. Thisis due to the fact that the profile is given a priori by the template ofHTML or XML tags, combined with script function calls to retrieve datafrom the database. The main disadvantage is that a database systemutilizing this solution is more resource-demanding than a databasesystem in which the data is organized as simple static web documentssuch as, for example, text, sound, video, image and graphics files.

In spite of recent attempts to simplify setup and maintenance ofdatabase-centric dynamic web page publications based on templates forpage layout and design, the switch from static pages is still anobstacle for most companies and institutions or for local offices anddepartments within such organizations. This switch is particularlyunsuitable for smaller and medium sized companies, with limitedinformation technology (“IT”) knowledge and capacity to support alocally-administered database-driven web page system such asdatabase-centric web pages. Consequently, without database-centric webpage management tools, many existing static home pages have outdatedcontents due to a limited time available to perform necessary revisionson the static web pages. Many potential publication projects that couldbe maintained, for example, from a given office or local departmentusing a database-centric web page solution are postponed due to lack ofresources to switch to a database-centric solution and lack of the timeresources necessary to individually update all the static web page sitesand their hyperlinks.

One advantage of the present invention is that it simplifies the setupand maintenance of web publication for web pages which need frequentupdating, and where the publication fits into a template of a hierarchyof overview category list document files with summary data fromunderlying detailed description electronic document files. This task hasbeen time-consuming and impractical using conventional HTML editortools. Thus, users have had to convert to database-centric frameworks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a novel method,system, and computer program product for production, revision, andhierarchical organization of electronic documents on a computer forsubsequent network publication of template-based and hierarchicallyorganized information in the form of web browser- or wordprocessor-accessible documents.

To achieve this object, the present invention stores in a firstcomputer, for every given item, an electronic document file and acontent data file containing at least (1) an identification field whichincludes an allocated identification code for the given item, (2) acategory field which links the given item to at least one item category,and (3) a description field which includes descriptive data andhyperlinks to the respective electronic document files. The firstcomputer can be a local computer or a local server. The electronicdocument files can be stored, for example, as simple text files or asfiles having links to accompanying static or animated graphical files.

This invention produces from the content data files a category listdocument file for each item that belongs to a given category,establishes in the first computer a hierarchal organization includingthe category list document files on one level and the respective firstelectronic document files for each category on an underlying level, andtransfers said hierarchical organization of the category list andelectronic document files in the first computer to a second computer,producing a counterpart category list document file and a counterpartelectronic document file. The content data files use the identificationfield as part of their respective file names and can be stored as datafields with markup language tags or other forms for file contentsstructuring that makes it possible to retrieve a file's contents in astructured way when needed. One embodiment of the second computer is anInternet server. The category list and document files are saved in aformat accessible from a viewer program such as an Internet browser or aword processing program. The hierarchical organization can be expandedvertically with more subcategories with specific sets of nestedelectronic files under each subcategory.

Modification information which logs modifications to the category listand electronic document files in the first computer is recorded as a logfile. The modification information includes a list of identificationcodes for all files on the first computer which have been modified. Upondemand, all files that have been modified according to the modificationinformation are transferred to the second computer resulting in themodification being kept in synchronization with the category list andelectronic document files residing on the first computer. For example,synchronization is achieved by copying all new or modified files to thesecond computer, and by deleting all files in the second computer whichcorrespond to files which have been deleted in the first computer. Upondirection, contents of fields, content data files, electronic documentfiles, and category list files can be updated with the changesautomatically being recorded in the log file for subsequent revision ofthe corresponding files on the second computer.

One advantage of this invention is to provide a novel method and systemfor electronic network publication of hierarchically organizedinformation in order to make the process of frequent revision of statichome pages more feasible for a larger range of Internet and Intranetpublication tasks. These tasks include, for example, tabular andhierarchically organized news, presentations of staff in variousdepartments, classification and presentation of frequently askedquestions, product catalogs, course descriptions and curriculum, andother web publications with contents that change relatively frequentlyand with a hierarchical organization wherein one or more levels of listscontain hyperlinks to other lists or to detailed descriptions on lowerlevels.

Accordingly, this invention provides a novel method and system forelectronic network publication of hierarchically organized informationaffording straightforward maintenance of updated, complex static webpublications well into the domain that traditionally has been consideredan environment for database-centric systems (e.g., client/serversystems).

In order to achieve these objects, a contents editor concentrates onfilling in data into available text and graphical fields thatcontributes to a given template's content data level. The system thenautomatically updates the overlying level of tabular summary files(i.e., category list documents), based on which detailed descriptions onthe content file level are defined to belong to which categories. Thus,a hierarchical structure of category list documents, each with a set ofunderlying item descriptions, is maintained and continuously updated.

A graphical user interface is provided which resembles a report view ina database program, wherein each report represents an actual collectionof items belonging to a given group and wherein a given item's completeset of data fields can be easily retrieved in response to a userrequest, for example, a mouse-click command. The graphical userinterface also includes a page layout for a given detailed descriptiondata fields, resembling a “form view” in a database program, where newitem descriptions may be added and where existing items may be revisedor deleted. Alternative, complementary sets of list files are updatedwherein each set categorizes items in accordance with alternativecategory definitions.

A third hierarchical level of an item organizing structure is organizedwherein the third level comprises a super-set of underlying nested setsof item categories, so that the third level resembles differentdatabases in a flat database structure, and each of the nested sets ofitem categories are accessible in response to a user request, forexample, a mouse-click command.

Files are periodically copied, replaced and deleted on a remote server(automatically or on request) in accordance with a log file thatincludes a list of all item descriptions that have been modified, added,or deleted on a local machine since the last update event on the remoteserver, so that an identical copy of the local document file structurefor the given hierarchical levels is maintained at an external server.Specially formatted text files containing summary data can be copied toa local or external network server to offer an open-ended exportfunction of data to an external database. A local computer can beconnected to an external database on the local personal computer (“PC”)or local network server, in order to automatically import the contentsof specific record files from the external database into defined datafields in the computer so that duplication of effort can be avoided.

One advantage of the present invention is that one or more staticdocuments can be accessed from a general viewer program (e.g., anInternet browser or a word processing program) containing hyperlinks tothe automatically updated category list documents for various itemcategories and resembling predefined database queries for aclient/server database structure.

Another advantage of the present invention is that, by combiningadvantageous properties associated with static web page publicationswith specific advantageous properties from database-organizational anddatabase-query principles, the system offers a practical, low-cost andless-information-technology-demanding alternative to dynamic web pagepublication with database-centric web pages.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a given web pagepublication task will be based on a given template for design, datafield layout and organization. Thus, after the given template has beenformed in the initial design phase, the contents editor can concentrateon filling in data into pre-defined fields using a user friendly andsimple graphical interface.

Thus, the system provides a novel way to automate the organization andmaintenance of frequently updated Intranet or Internet web pagestructures in a way that resembles the database-centric web page systemincluding database queries and reports, but which involves only staticweb pages on an Intranet or Internet server.

A system, which has been named Web Mirroring Technology (“WMT”),automatically generates and updates hierarchically organized informationcontents, consisting of various list documents (e.g., tables of productsbelonging to a given product category) and their underlying linkeddocuments (e.g., more detailed descriptions of a given items in a giventable). WMT maintains two identical copies of the web site, one at theISP's Internet server, and one at the company's own network. Thereby,one copy is a mirror image of the other. Due to its simplicity in termsof method and use, WMT solves many of the obstacles in connection with asearch engine and database components in dynamic web page publishing.

Another advantage is that text files are easy to trouble-shoot incomparison with binary, relational database files.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it does not rely onthird-party software systems (e.g., a word processor, a databaseprogram, or other systems for entering, retrieval and/or formatting ofdata). This contributes to making web publication based on the presentinvention less vulnerable to errors, easier to install and adjust,easier to maintain due to simpler system structure, and easier to learnand to master (particularly for persons with little IT experience).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of theattendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a web page design and a returned web pageusing a database system with functions that generate interfaces betweena database and web browsers in an HTML framework;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional relationship of WebMirroring Technology (“WMT”) between an Internet Service Provider whichpublishes static company home pages and a local network computer whichcreates and maintains a local copy of the home pages;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary HTML- or XML-formatted list filewith exemplary HTML- or XML-formatted detailed description files thatbelong to a specific category for the list file;

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are block diagrams showing the contents ofvarious lists with each list grouped by a common category and havingline items with summary data for and hyperlinks to a record file;

FIG. 4E is a block diagram showing the contents of the record filepointed to by the lists illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D;

FIG. 5A is an exemplary “form” view for revision of a detailed itemdescription;

FIG. 5B is an exemplary “report” tabular category view;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary flow of logic anddata for creation and maintenance of files for item descriptions andcategory lists;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of exemplary logic for adding a new itemdescription;

FIG. 8A is an exemplary display of an HTML-formatted category list file;

FIG. 8B is an exemplary display of a detailed description electronicdocument file;

FIG. 8C is an exemplary search page, offering hyperlinks to threeparallel sets of categorical list files, a clickable map or analternative drop-down box, and two drop-down boxes;

FIGS. 8D and 8E illustrate exemplary startup pages of a graphical userinterface after the user has started the program or data revisionprocess, similar to FIGS. 5A and 5B;

FIG. 8F illustrates an exemplary graphical image defined to be a part ofan item's description;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are exemplary shopping basket templates for web designincluding hyperlinks to a set of list files where Javascript is embeddedin the static web design template to offer client-side shoppingfacilities such as, for example, calculations, for items in the basket;

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary portion of a generalized computersystem upon which portions of the invention may be implemented; and

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary portion of a generalized hardwareconfiguration, in the format of a workstation, upon which portions ofthe invention may be implemented.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designateidentical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and moreparticularly to FIG. 2 thereof, there is shown a block diagram showingthe functional relationship of Web Mirroring Technology (“WMT”) 154between an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) 164 which publishes webpages abroad on the Internet 150 and a local area network (“LAN”)computer 180 which creates and maintains a local copy of the web pageson an Intranet 152. On the Internet 150, various home page visitors, forexample, Clients 156, 158, 160 and 162, may use their web browser todisplay various category list documents which have been produced bysoftware referenced herein as NetSpinner, which is exemplary softwareembodying at least some of the functions of the present invention, onthe ISP's server 164, and may use hyperlinked elements inside thesedocuments to retrieve individual detailed description (item) documentsthat are displayed in a given category list document. WMT 154, whichwill be described in detail below, offers an option for dynamic web pagepublishing, on the Internet 150, of the data contained in category listdocument files and detailed description electronic document files.

On the LAN 180, illustrated in FIG. 2 as belonging to the Intranet 152,clients (workstations) 182, 184, 186 and 188 may readNetSpinner-produced documents in a similar way as the clients on theInternet. Other clients 170, 172, 174 and 176 have NetSpinner installedin addition to their browser, so that these clients may revise (e.g.,store, change, delete) as well as read an item's data. The NetSpinnersoftware may be a specific executable file, or it may offer a similarset of features as a combination of server-side and/or client-sidescript algorithms for revising directly through a browser's graphicaluser interface. NetSpinner may also be an extension or “plug-in” to anexisting web authoring tool, e.g., FrontPage.

The local network computer 180 and/or connected workstations 170, 172,174, and 176 use a software tool (e.g., NetSpinner) to build and revisea hierarchical set of markup language (e.g., HyperText Markup Language(“HTML”) or eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”)) formatted category listfiles and detailed description electronic document files. These files,that contain identification, categorization, and descriptive data, aremaintained as local web pages residing on the local computer 180 andrepresent the most up-to-date information that a company wishes topublish. Copies of these files are transferred on demand to the ISPserver computer 164 wherein a set of publishable web pages is stored asa set of static web pages. Clients 156, 158, 160 and 162 logging intothe website access these pages with no need to access the original filesthrough the local computer 180. WMT 154 maintains identical copies ofthe local and publishable web pages. Theoretically, one copy of thebrowser-accessible set of web pages is a mirror image of the other,because changes that are made to the data in the local web pages arethereafter updated at the external ISP server. No extra database programor dynamic data-retrieving system is needed on the external server, noron the local network server or PC.

In an alternate embodiment, only one copy of the files is maintained andedited on the ISP.

Instead of having the browser retrieve web page contents from a singledatabase file or from a set of inter-connected database files as in adatabase-centric web page system, the WMT-based data presentation relieson successively generated static web pages (e.g., in the form of markuplanguage files such as HTML-formatted or XML-formatted text files andaccompanying graphical image files) in accordance with predefined butmodifiable web page designs. Web page production is automaticallyperformed by a PC- or workstation-installed computer program that willbe described in detail below. The HTML, XML, or other markup languageformatted text files are category list electronic document files anddetailed description electronic document files.

With the present invention, one obtains the appearance of a databasesystem, including four web-based database characteristics and threeLAN-based database characteristics. On the web, those four databasecharacteristics include:

-   -   1. pre-defined queries or report headings (i.e., a home page        with links to category list documents that are maintained by the        invention);    -   2. updated query results, or reports (i.e., a specific category        list, containing references to all detailed descriptions of a        predefined category);    -   3. links to underlying detailed description electronic document        files from the list; and    -   4. category lists and detailed description electronic document        files formatted in accordance with a predefined template for        field layout and Web design (i.e., style).        On a LAN, those three database characteristics include:    -   1. a graphical user interface including predefined text fields        and fields for graphics, similar to a database's update editor        (i.e., “form” view);    -   2. within the same graphical user interface, a tabular overview        of some key fields (e.g., identification number, description        data, etc.), similar to a database's report-view, where a user        selects (e.g., using radio buttons) a report of records        belonging to a specific category (e.g., Category 1, Category 2,        etc.); and    -   3. a system that mimics a database system where a user may save,        revise and delete detailed descriptions (i.e., description        fields and associated electronic document files) but which, in        its simplest form, comprises pure text files, by a combination        of file name convention, directory structure, a file's internal        structure, and a range of program-internal algorithms.

In contrast to a conventional database-centric publication, thisinvention pre-creates all markup language presentations (e.g., HTMLpresentations or XML presentations) on a local machine, based on theactual contents of a set of individual record files, in connection witha user selecting to “save” or “delete” a specific record, or selectingto “Update Internet.” The continuously updated markup language pagesinclude web presentation of records (i.e., detailed descriptions), aswell as the various reports (i.e., pre-defined query results, orcategory list documents). Similar to a conventional database-system, thepresentations are automatically maintained by the system. The user orthe contents editor simply concentrates on filling in data for onerecord of detailed description information at a time and then saves it.Similar to a database system, the reports (e.g., the category listdocuments) themselves are not edited. They are maintained automaticallyin accordance with a predefined template for which a predetermined setof fields from each detailed description record is included in a givenline of the report.

When the user selects the “Update Internet” command, added and modifiedlocal markup language documents (e.g., HTML-formatted or XML-formattedcategory list files and detailed description electronic document files)are automatically copied (and files corresponding to locally deletedrecords will be deleted also) on the external web server.

Thus, with the invention, the user obtains the benefit of the systemsimplicity from a “static web page publication,” and a database system'sstrength from template-based presentation (style coherence), automaticorganization, and power to handle frequent revisions.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a specific HTML-, XML-, or other markup languageformatted list file 200 which includes tabular summary fields withhyperlinks to formatted detailed description files that belong to aspecific category for the list file. The diagram illustrates how aclient who finds the descriptive data in line 5, denoted 202,sufficiently intriguing to warrant further retrieval of completeinformation, is referred to an underlying detailed descriptionelectronic document file 204 where more detailed data for thedescriptive data is located. Each line item in the table of the listfile 200 corresponds to a specific detailed description file.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are block diagrams showing the contents ofvarious list files 210, 212, 214 and 216 with each list grouped into acommon category list and having line items such as, for example, 220with summary data for and hyperlinks to a record file in a set of recordfiles 218 shown in FIG. 4E. The organization of category list files withline items having hyperlinks illustrate the relationship between theline items and the underlying electronic document files, or record files218. Each line item in a list file includes an identification number222, an item category 223, descriptive data 224, and a hyperlink 226 tothe respective underlying electronic document file in the record files218. For example, the list 210 contains links to all record files whichhave even record numbers. Accordingly, a set of one or more listscomprising a complete categorization of the entire set of underlyingelectronic documents into different groups is entered and modified. Eachitem in the group defines an item level, and the categorization of theentire set defines an hierarchical organization. FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and4D illustrate two parallel sets of independent categorizations, onehaving even and odd record numbers, and the other having record numbersin ranges, either less than six, or greater than or equal to six, thathave been generated to offer clients different ways to approach the dataas pre-defined “reports”, or as “database query results”, to use ananalogy with classic dynamic web publications.

FIG. 5A is a schematic view of one possible graphical user interface 250for displaying, creating or revising an item description based on theinvention. A text field 252 is used to display a unique identifier(labeled “ID”) for a particular item. The ID is preferably generated bythe system. A category field 254 is entered by a user. A text field 256is shown as an optional feature related to adding graphical or othernon-textual data elements (e.g., video or music) to the itemdescription. A thumbnail graphic 258 is shown as a miniature image of amore detailed image which may be optionally stored as a graphic file.Both the thumbnail image and the more detailed image graphic files maybe optionally stored as descriptive data. Field captions 260, 262 and264 illustrate descriptive data fields for a specific underlyingdetailed description file. In one embodiment, a button 266 is used forrequesting a view for creating a new item description. In alternateembodiments, a menu element or a hot-key may be used for requesting theview. (Menu elements and hot-keys may also be used for each of thefunctions described below instead of menu items). A button 268 is usedto save the field data for the presently displayed item description. Aretrieve button 270 is used to retrieve data for a previously saved itemdescription. A text field 271 is used to communicate to the applicationwhich item to display when the retrieve button 270 is pressed. A “showtable” button 272 is used to change from the current graphical userinterface to a “tabular view” as discussed below with regard to FIG. 5B.It is possible to access the tabular view of the category (e.g.,“Fruits”) currently shown in the interface 250.

FIG. 5B is a schematic view of one possible graphical user interface 280for displaying a table 286 comprising data from all item descriptionsbelonging to a particular category, for the purpose of displaying anorganized overview of existing data. Each line in the table containsdata retrieved from one particular item description's set of fields. Theuser may toggle between data from other categories (e.g., by clicking aradio button 282 related to a specific category caption). A specialbutton 284 may also be included for the purpose of switching from“tabular view” to “item view,” as described with regard to element 272of FIG. 5A. An extra feature may be included to make the systemautomatically display data from a specific item description that wasmarked in one way or another from the “tabular view” interface, forexample by highlighting a line in the table 286 before selecting “itemview.”

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary flow of logic anddata for creation and maintenance of files for item descriptions andcategory lists. The left-hand side of FIG. 6 illustrates actions from,and display for, a user 302 who adds and revises data in the givenpublication. The right-hand side shows actions performed by anapplication 300 on behalf of the user according to the invention. Atstep 304, the user 302 starts the application 300. One of theapplication's graphical user interfaces, in this case the “item view” asdiscussed previously with regard to FIG. 5A, is opened. The application300 of FIG. 6 automatically allocates a reference code or ID 306, forexample a unique number that is not already used as an ID for anotheritem description (optionally displaying it in one of the editable textfields 260, 262 or 264 of FIG. 5A). If the user 302 edits this ID 306,the system may automatically control that the new code is also unique,and warn the user 302 if it already exists.

The user 302 enters data into different fields 260, 262, or 256 where atleast one field 254 is used to categorize this item. When the user 302chooses to save this item's data, step 310 stores the data in a databasefile 311, or as a single text file where a file name convention maydefine both the ID code and what category this file is a part of. Thismakes it simpler and faster to filter out all files belonging to aspecific category, and to retrieve data for a specific item description.This procedure also ensures that an existing file is not unintentionallyoverwritten, since the ID code is unique for each item. Control is thenpassed to step 312 in which the system generates and stores anHTML-formatted file 313 for this example, the “detailed descriptiondocument,” where the contents of various data fields are embedded inaccordance to a predefined page layout scheme or template. This file'sfield name should contain the ID code 306 for this item. The designtemplate should also include a hyperlink to the “category list file” towhich this item belongs. It is noted that it is not required to storeboth the text file and the HTML-formatted file 313, as one or the othermay be stored and used for retrieval of needed item data withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. For example, thetext file may be utilized to create an HTML-formatted documenton-the-fly when needed, and conversely, the information of the text filemay be obtained from an HTML-formatted file by parsing the file for textinformation.

Following saving of the item data, the system re-generates (in step 314)the “category list file,” an HTML-formatted file 316 illustrativelyincluding at least (1) a headline field with the actual category namefor the present item and (2) a tabular view displaying the contents ofat least one of the fields from each item description belonging to thegiven category. Further, one or more of the table cells displaying datafor a given item may include a hyperlink to the specific HTML file thatwas previously created for this item. In order to update the contents ofthe table 316, the system opens and reads the contents of all files ordatabase records 311 to locate all records belonging to this particularcategory to include in the updated list. The category list document'sname should include a specific category ID code, for example an aliasfor the actual category caption. This alias is referenced in thehyperlinks that are included as part of the design template for the itemdescriptions that belongs to this category.

After the category list document has been saved, the system may displaythe tabular view, or “report view,” graphical user interface 280 for theapplication, as discussed previously with regard to FIG. 5B, where theuser may begin a new turn with adding a new item description or revisingor deleting an existing one. The graphical user interface 280 may alsoinclude command buttons or menu elements for other tasks, such as, forexample, “Update Internet,” “Print,” “Fax,” “Exit,” and so on. The“Update Internet” event will revise the external web server's markuplanguage formatted item documents and their accompanying category listdocuments, in accordance with the changes to the same set of documentsthat have been made on the local computer or LAN since last “UpdateInternet” event. It is noted that the updating of category listdocuments may be delayed until a next “Update Internet” event withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Document contents may be stored and updated on a local network server inorder to allow more than one computer on the local network to revise thecontents of the documents. As another alternative, an external databaseon the local PC or local network server is connected to the local systemin order to automatically import the contents of specific electronicdocument files from the external database into defined data fields inthe computer program so that duplication of effort can be avoided.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of exemplary logic for adding a new itemdescription. After starting, step 350 generates a new item ID. Asdiscussed previously with regard to ID 306 of FIG. 6, this ID may begenerated by the system or by the user. Step 352 of FIG. 7 then inputsan item description and a category. The item description may, forexample, be entered into one of the fields 260, 262 or 264 of FIG. 5A.The category may, for example, be entered into the field 254 of FIG. 5A.

Step 354 of FIG. 7 then stores the item description as a text file, asdiscussed previously with regard to element 311 of FIG. 6. Step 356 ofFIG. 7 generates a markup language file of the item description, asdiscussed previously with regard to element 313 of FIG. 6. As notedpreviously, either one of the text file or the markup language file maybe saved without the other being saved without departing from the spiritof the invention, as the information which is needed by the system issufficient when stored in one or the other of these files. Step 360updates the category list file for the category which has been input,corresponding to step 314 and category list file 316 of FIG. 6. Step 362adds an entry to a log file for revised item description files, keepingtrack of added, revised and deleted items since the last update event.As discussed previously, the log file is used by the system to updatelocal changes to the external server. Control is then returned to thecalling process.

FIG. 8A shows an exemplary display of an HTML-formatted category listfile 400, and FIG. 8B shows an exemplary display of a detaileddescription electronic document file 402. As previously discussed, theinformation which is retrieved with a web browser in a WMT-generated webpublication structure comprises a set of markup language files, such as,for example, HTML-formatted or XML-formatted text files, which arerecords, or “detailed descriptions,” one detailed description electronicdocument file for each record. The system also includes various sets ofaccompanying category list document files, which comprise markuplanguage text files which include tables with summaries and hyperlinksto detailed descriptions for a given category.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 8A, a given set of category list document fileseach containing a category-specific tabular presentation of underlyingdetailed descriptions covers the whole set of detailed description filesbelonging to this category, normally without overlap. Since therenormally is no overlap between categories in a given category set, thenumber of list files is very limited compared to the number of detaileddescription files in a given implementation. Alternative sets of listfiles, for example, an alternative set “alt_set1.html”, “alt_set2.html”,. . . , may offer links to the same records, but they are based on otherquery definitions.

For example, a real-estate agency may offer its search page visitors achoice between inventory tables for three different ranges of price,three for area, and fifteen for different local area zones. The threesets of tables (3+3+15 static web pages) in this example effectivelycover the most common query requests from home page visitors. In sum,they also cover the complete set of records, illustrated as propertiesfor sale, in this example, from three different perspectives: price,area and locality. The local computer or server's hierarchical directoryor folder structure together with specific structuring of the underlyingelectronic document file names represent the database organization,rather than pointers to records as in a conventional database.

The address “http://yourcompany.com/presentation1/set1.html” may pointto one of several data-organizing category list files. The “set1.html”file contains line item data in tabular summary form for all records(i.e., “items”) that are defined to belong to this specific set, orcategory, of records. Each line item includes summary data (e.g., athumbnail graphical image, a categorization field, an identificationnumber field for the given record, and a hyperlink to the record's webpage (i.e., the detailed description document “nr000333.html”) whichcontains detailed data field contents for this record with the recordidentification number “nr000333”). All list files in a given set, forexample, set1.html, set2.html, etc., are conveniently located at thesame directory “/presentation1”, indicating that they, as a group,present a superset of “presentation1” records. This superset isanalogous to a given database in a database-centric web page system.From a user's perspective, a given set of line items in a list file isanalogous, in a database-centric web page system, to a database searchengine query result from a predetermined, or fixed query.

The hierarchical structure makes it possible to publish a well-organizedstructure of a large number of detailed descriptions. For example,10,000 detailed descriptions may be organized into five major“databases,” preferably split into five different hard disk directories,each embedding, for example, 10 categories. In this 3-level system,“list of databases” comprises level 3, and each list file at level 2will include only 10000/(5×10)=200 detailed descriptions at level 1, onaverage. One of the detailed description documents at level 1 can beaccessed from just three hyperlinks: select database, then selectcategory under the selected database, and next select a detaileddescription under the given category. Smaller numbers of detaileddescriptions may be organized with fewer levels, for example bypublishing only one database. For example, 150 records may fitconveniently into a three-level system consisting of one data set with15 categories, wherein each category's list file, on average, willinclude hyperlinks to 10 detailed descriptions.

In the present invention, a static home page may appear to a user tofunction similarly to a “search engine” or search page, since it givesthe links, in the form of, for example, drop-down boxes, graphicalbuttons, clickable maps or simple texts, to the various sets of queryresults, or reports that are automatically maintained for a given set ofdetailed description files. Referring to the previously discussed realestate example, the search page is where a user selects one of thepredetermined “queries,” for example, by clicking a hyperlink. Thus, auser may request a particular list file from one of the three sets oflist files in the real estate example discussed above.

FIG. 8C is an exemplary search page 410 for three parallel sets ofcategorical list files, displaying a clickable map 412 or an alternativedrop-down box 416, and two drop-down boxes 418 and 420.

The example discussed above with regard to FIGS. 8A and 8B describes athree-level hierarchical structure, with level3 (including hyperlinks tovarious “databases,” such as “presentation1,” “presentation2,” etc.),level 2 (including the sets of category list files belonging to a given“database,” for example, “set1,” “set2,” etc.), and level 1 (includingthe set of detailed electronic document files referred to from a givenlist file, such as “nr000333.html,” “nr000378.html,” etc.). Other levelsmay easily be added, by including more levels of list files to thestructure discussed above. For example, the list file set “set1,”“set2,” . . . at level 2 discussed above may include hyperlinks todetailed electronic document files, which are on level 1, which describea new set of subcategories for each of the categories at level 2, whichincludes one subcategory for each detailed electronic document file.Each of these subcategory descriptions includes a hyperlink to theactual category list files for these subcategories. Further, thesesubcategory category list files include hyperlinks to their respectivesets of electronic document files, or a level 0 description, below level1.

By navigating between the search page, the list files, and the detailedelectronic document files by using an Internet browser program, the userobserves results similar to the query results of a search engine that isconnected to a web server database. Each detailed description file mayinclude links back to the referring category list file, or to the searchpage. However, the “database” comprises a set of static web pages thatare connected by the automatically updated and revised category listfiles. The solution is “pseudo-database-centric,” with specificadvantages that are not obtained from existing static web page solutionsnor from database-centric solutions.

The markup language, for example, HTML-formatted or XML-formattedcategory list document and detailed description electronic documentfiles are semi-static, since the respective detailed descriptionelectronic document files and referring category list document files arefrequently generated, re-generated, or deleted by a specially designedcomputer program such as, for example, NetSpinner. NetSpinner is notcrucial for the functionality of a WMT system. However, it is a softwaretool which is available for building and revising the hierarchical setof markup language files, for example, HTML-formatted or XML-formattedcategory list pages and detailed description electronic document filesas discussed above, in conjunction with its updating of structured textfiles (i.e., the content files) that include data without markuplanguage tags. These latter files are analogous to database records in adatabase program. The actual updating of the markup language (e.g., HTMLor XML) files takes place in the same automated sequence of events whennew records are registered or old records are updated or deleted in alocal in-office text-file “database” that is connected to the NetSpinnerprogram.

FIGS. 8D and 8E illustrate an exemplary startup page of an exemplarygraphical user interface after the user has expanded a menu, similarlyto FIGS. 5A and 5B. Referring now to FIGS. 5D and 8E, a local databaseadministrator or contents editor fills in data or revises existing datain pre-defined fields for a given record in a NetSpinner graphical userinterface 450 of FIG. 5D. The “report (tabular) view” is shown in 450. Agraphical user interface 452 of FIG. 8E illustrates a page layout for agiven detailed description data field, resembling a “form view” in adatabase-centric program, where new item descriptions may be added andwhere existing items may be revised or deleted.

FIG. 8F illustrates a subset screen 460 for a descriptive fieldspresentation including a display of a graphical image file. In apreferred embodiment, NetSpinner will automatically create boththumbnail graphical image files and larger high-quality image files withcorresponding file names that can be used as hyperlink targets fromcategory list pages, as well as from detailed electronic document pagesin the WMT-generated web publication. For example, the file name“aa000333.jpg” may refer to a high-quality picture for a graphical imagefor a detailed description file “nr000333.htm,” while a file name“ab000333.jpg” may refer to a thumbnail version of this image.

One main advantage of the WMT publication is its freedom from databasedependency in classical terms. Data may be stored and retrieved from asimpler structure such as, for example, a “pseudo-database” comprisingseparate text files for each detailed description. Consequently, when auser selects the “save” command, NetSpinner saves the current detaileddescriptive data in a specially formatted text file with a uniqueidentification number and set identifier file name, for example,“nr000333.01,” where “0.01” denotes that the record belongs to the setor category “01.” Further, NetSpinner generates an accompanying markuplanguage (e.g., HTML-formatted or XML-formatted) version of this record,for example, “nr000333.htm,” which includes relative hyperlinks to theaccompanying graphical images, if present. NetSpinner also makes thenecessary revisions of the list file that includes the tabular summaryof all detailed description electronic document files in the set towhich the actual record belongs, or the markup language (e.g.,HTML-formatted or XML-formatted) category list file (“category01.htm”).For example, a new line is added for the category list file if“nr000333.01” is a new record. Similarly, if the user, while revisingthe existing record “nr000333.01”, chose to delete that record from itsrecord set, then the line in the list with the hyperlink thatcorresponds to “nr000333.htm” is deleted.

As discussed previously with regard to FIG. 7, NetSpinner maintains alog file comprising file names of all item descriptions that have beenadded, revised, or deleted in a given “database” from any workstation ona local network. By selecting the NetSpinner command “Update Internet,”an administrator can automatically delete all external web server filescorresponding to locally deleted files and copy all locally added orrevised files, including graphics, using any file transfer protocol(e.g., standard File Transfer Protocol (“FTP”), trivial File TransferProtocol (“TFTP”), or HyperText Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”)), to theexternal web server based on the log file's overview of which files tocopy to or delete from the external server. The log file is then emptiedand thus is available to be filled with a new log of added, revised ordeleted item descriptions. The “Update Internet” event can also beautomated, by setting a timer function to perform updating at regularintervals. The frequency of updating the external web server defines howclose the WMT-produced sets of web files match a traditional dynamicsearch engine or database-centric web page updating on an Internetserver. On a local server or PC, the update process takes place inreal-time for both systems.

After an “Update Internet” event as described previously, the externalcopy of the NetSpinner-generated set of HTML-formatted files, which arecategory list files and detailed description electronic document files,in addition to graphical images, is identical to the local set of files.During the “Update Internet” event, NetSpinner deletes all files on theexternal server in accordance with files that have been deleted on thelocal server or PC.

The NetSpinner program may alternatively include other functions suchas, for example, local printing or faxing of lists and detaileddescriptions, and even sharing the data files with other programs suchas a “Fax-On-Demand” service. The NetSpinner program may be set up toautomatically export files, for example, summaries of detaileddescriptions, to a local or external server in order to update a largerclassical client/server database system. The external database systemhandles the automated import function. This setup may be used, forexample, when data from several WMT-based local datasets should bemerged into a common search engine system offering general overview andhyperlinks back to the local data sets, thereby offering a functionalityand service similar to yellow pages in a telephone book.

The NetSpinner program may alternatively include algorithms formaintaining unique record identifiers, or record numbers, making itpossible to move electronic document files from one set or category toanother, to change the identification number, etc. The program may alsoallow for different markup language designs for different “databases,”by reading markup language design tags from a set of external, andmodifiable text files, wherein one set of such files comprises a givenweb page design template. A specific template may, for example, includeclient- or server-side script commands and algorithms for a shoppingbasket e-commerce system, including “on-the-fly” listing and costcalculation of items that have been added to the basket. In addition, anorder submission form that is connected to a webserver script or programfor further processing can be included as shown, for example, in FIGS.9A and 9B. FIGS. 9A and 9B are exemplary shopping basket templates forweb design including hyperlinks to a set of list files.

The NetSpinner program may include a menu of several databases, eachincluding their respective set of data categories, web design, etc., forfiles having different hard disk directories for each database. Undereach database directory, markup language files (e.g., HTML or XMLfiles), graphical files, record files, and template files shouldpreferably be located in a hierarchical structure to ease file overviewand access speed, and to minimize or eliminate occurrences ofdirectories containing a very large number of files.

An example of a hard disk directory structure for one WMT-generateddataset and its accompanying computer program with its template andinitiation files is shown in Table 1. Three dots (“ . . . ”) indicatesthat only a small number of a larger set of files of the given class isshown. Several parallel sets of directories on level1, such as, forexample, Presentation2, Presentation3, etc., may be administered by thesame NetSpinner program, for example, netspinner.exe at level 4, buteach presentation may have its own settings in the template andini-files at level 4. An ini-file is a text file containing variousparameters for the system setup such as, for example, field captions,location of various file types, etc. In NetSpinner, one can allow forother program settings that can be easily modified if the settings wereread from various text files, such as ini-files. Such files instructingNetSpinner to update the local website copy only de-activates the“Update Internet” FTP or HTTP function. This incorporation could be afeasible option for various Intranet solutions and for cases where theweb server is directly connected or identical to the local networkserver, hence eliminating the need for an external copy of web sitedata. TABLE 1 Directory Level 1 Directory Level 2 Directory Level 3Directory Level 4 Presentation 1 Data HTML_files nr000333.htmnr000338.htm nr000456.htm . . . alt_set1.htm alt_set2.htm Graphicsaa000333.jpg aa000333.jpg Records nr000333.01 nr000338.01 nr000456.02Program Program_files netspinner.exe ini_files html_template.iniprint_setup.ini FTP_setup.ini field_names.ini

With the help of the automated functionality of NetSpinner, the frequentupdating and maintenance of even a large set of document files is asimple procedure, even on a standalone low-cost PC with a modemconnection to the Internet. Typically, the saving of a detaileddescription record and the accompanying updating of the markup language(e.g., HTML-formatted or XML-formatted) detailed description electronicdocument file and the connected category list files takes less than asecond on a modern PC. The magnitude of data is not a serious obstaclefor low- or medium-size databases, so long as the record files can besubdivided into a hierarchically structured database and category tree,based on main data category classes. NetSpinner may also be set up toautomatically split long list files into a set of files, so that listfile 1 shows a list for detailed descriptions #1-50, plus a hyperlink topart 2 of the list, in a separate file, with detailed descriptions#51-100, etc.

Since the WMT is based on very simple protocols (e.g., FTP and HTTP), itputs very little demand on line bandwidth, local hardware quality andinformation technology webmaster know-how. One may simply use a normaltelephone and a modem, and the running costs are very small. Typically,the daily updates require only a few minutes a day. Further, the needfor expensive around-the-clock webmaster maintenance is practicallyeliminated, since the need for complex script processing and traditionalweb-based database maintenance is reduced. Locally generated andweb-formatted tables and database records are simply copied to theInternet site from the local network server or even from a stand-alonePC.

In the above described embodiments, the WMT system operatesindependently of a database. In an alternate embodiment, the systemconnects to an external database system on the local PC or networkserver in order to import or export data records from or to such adatabase system. In this way, duplication of effort may be avoided inconnection with updating specific data in two parallel systemsperforming different tasks. This would also simplify the initial filingof data into a new WMT-based publication.

A database-less WMT-based system has no database downtime, as long asthe Internet server itself is running properly. In the worst case, thedata that are published on the external server may be partially outdatedif the FTP-procedure does not work properly. However, fixing FTPconnection problems is normally a less complex task compared to manyother problems that are encountered when traditional databases stopfunctioning properly. If a NetSpinner system should experience problems,at least the latest copy of the data is accessible both on the local andthe external server. With the WMT system, one can easily maintainupdated complex static web publications well into the domain thattraditionally has been considered an environment for database systems(e.g., a client/server solution). In many instances the described systemoffers unique properties which function better than database-centric webpage solutions, due to the combination of the innate simplicity ofstatic web pages and the inclusion of some organizational principlesfrom database structures. In addition, a static web page structure canhandle a much larger hit rate compared to database-centric web pages,especially when compared to simple database organizations that are notof the client/server type, before server response time becomes aproblem.

In short, the WMT makes dynamic page publishing a realistic andattractive option even for small companies with a limited investmentcapacity for Internet presentations. WMT comprises a process wherein anexternal server's copy of the publication is kept synchronized with alocal copy. Thus, WMT is an embedded feature inside NetSpinner.NetSpinner is one of many possible graphical user interfaces that couldbe applied for the task of updating and maintaining a database-freehierarchical structure of web documents. NetSpinner resides on the localcomputer, with full local control.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary portion of a generalized computernetwork system upon which portions of the invention may be implemented.The Web Mirrorring Technology and NetSpinner exist on a local computer504 or within a local Intranet 500 at a company's LAN. Archived datacontaining hierarchical information for the website publications isstored as text files on the local server 506 or local computer 504 andis maintained by the NetSpinner program which resides on the server 506or on the hard drives of one or more local computers 504. Informationaldata may be incorporated into the server's files from other computerssuch as 508 within a company's Intranet. The WMT produces on an ISP'sserver 512 a copy of the static web pages on the local computer 504, orLAN server 506. All of the local computer 504, the local server 506, andthe ISP's server computer 510, as well as client computers 514, 516 and518 are connected by a Wide Area Network (either private or public,e.g., the Internet 502). Clients logging onto the Internet access thecompany's home pages through the ISP server 512. Information isavailable to the clients without having to depend on dynamic databaseconnection, either from the ISP server 512 or the local server 506. TheWMT updates the static server files on machine 512 to present the latestweb page information on server 506. The exemplary arrangement in FIG. 10may be simplified by removing the Intranet 500 and LAN server 506, andconnecting the local computer 504 directly to the ISP server 512.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary hardware configuration of a localcomputer upon which portions of the invention may be implemented. Thelocal computer 504 of FIG. 10 includes a CPU 550 as shown in FIG. 11, anetwork operating system 552, a network interface 556, NetSpinnersoftware 554, and computer files 506. The local computer 504 processesinput data and stores the data in an appropriate predefined butmodifiable web page design. The NetSpinner software facilitates editingof the stored data files and transferring of updated electronic documentfiles or category list files to the ISP server computer 510 of FIG. 10.This data, as previously discussed, is grouped into hierarchicalcategories and saved with summary data and hyperlinks to the recordfiles containing detailed information about each line item in a list.The network operating system 552 permits file transfer and file copyingusing standard file transfer protocols such as, for example, FTP orHTTP.

This invention may be conveniently implemented using a network ofconventional general purpose digital computers and/or microprocessorsprogrammed according to the teachings of the present specification, aswill be apparent to those skilled in the computer art from reading theabove descriptions regarding the figures. Appropriate software codingcan readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings ofthe present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in thesoftware art: The invention may also be implemented by the preparationof application specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting anappropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The present invention includes a computer program product which is astorage medium including instructions which can be used to program acomputer or a plurality of networked computers to perform a process ofthe invention. The storage medium can include, but is not limited to,any type of disk including floppy disks, optical discs, CD-ROMs, andmagneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or opticalcards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronicinstructions.

Stored on any one or on a combination of computer readable media, thepresent invention includes software for controlling both the hardware ofa computer and for enabling the computer to interact with a human user.Such software may include, but is not limited to, device drivers,operating systems and user applications, such as development tools. Suchcomputer readable media further includes the computer program product ofthe present invention. Computer code devices of the present inventioncan be any interpreted or executable code mechanism, including but notlimited to scripts, interpreters, dynamic link libraries, Java classes,and complete executable programs.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein

1. A method for production, revision and hierarchical organization ofelectronic documents on a computer system, comprising: inputting a firstitem description and a first item category; generating a first itemidentifier corresponding to the first item description; generating afirst item description electronic document in a plurality of itemdescription electronic documents including the first item description,the first item category and the first item identifier; storing the firstitem description electronic document in a first storage area configuredto store generated documents; collecting at least one existing itemdescription from at least one respective existing item descriptionelectronic document in the plurality of item description electronicdocuments including the first item description electronic document, eachof said at least one respective existing item description electronicdocument including said first item category; generating a first categorylist electronic document corresponding to the first item category priorto receiving a request for the first category list electronic documentfrom a web browser, said first category list electronic documentincluding at least a portion of each of the at least one existing itemdescription and a reference to each of the at least one respectiveexisting item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents; determining if any of a copy of thefirst item description electronic document and each of the at least oneexisting item description document are already stored in a secondstorage area configured to store published documents; and initiating atransfer of a copy of the first category list electronic document and acopy of at least one document determined by the determining not to bealready stored in the second storage area, and not initiating a transferof the copy of at least one document determined by the determining to bealready stored in the second storage area.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein said collecting further comprises a copy of each of said atleast one existing item description electronic document being alreadystored in a second storage area configured to store published documents.3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first category list electronicdocument further comprises at least a portion of the first itemdescription and a reference to the first item description electronicdocument in the plurality of item description electronic documents. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inputting the first itemdescription further comprises inputting data into at least one itemdescription content field and the step of storing the first itemdescription electronic document further comprises storing the first itemdescription electronic document in the first storage area using a firstfile name corresponding to the first item category and the first itemidentifier.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first item descriptionelectronic document comprises one of a text formatted first itemdescription electronic document and a markup language formatted firstitem description electronic document.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe first category list document comprises one of a text formatted firstcategory list electronic document and a markup language formatted firstcategory list electronic document.
 7. The method of claim 1, whereingenerating the first item description electronic document furthercomprises: generating a text format first item description electronicdocument having a text format and including the first item description,the first item category and the first item identifier; storing the textformat first item description electronic document in the first storagearea; and generating the first item description electronic documentbased on the text format first item description electronic document,said first item description electronic document including a markuplanguage format.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the firstitem description electronic document further comprises: generating afirst item description database record having a database format andincluding the first item description, the first item category and thefirst item identifier; storing the first item description databaserecord in the first storage area; and generating the first itemdescription electronic document based on the first item descriptiondatabase record, said first item description electronic documentincluding a markup language format.
 9. The method of claim 1, whereingenerating the first category list electronic document furthercomprises: generating a text formatted first category list electronicdocument having a text format and corresponding to the first itemcategory; storing the text formatted first category list electronicdocument in the first storage area; generating the first category listelectronic document based on the text formatted first category listelectronic document, said first category list electronic documentincluding a markup language format; and storing the first category listelectronic document in the first storage area.
 10. The method of claim1, wherein generating the first category list electronic documentfurther comprises: generating a first category list database recordhaving a database format and corresponding to the first item category;storing the first category list database record in the first storagearea; generating the first category list electronic document based onthe first category list database record, said first category listelectronic document including a markup language format; and storing thefirst category list electronic document in the first storage area. 11.The method of claim 1, further comprising: inputting a second itemdescription and a second item category; generating a second itemidentifier corresponding to the second item description; generating asecond item description electronic document including the second itemdescription, the second item category and the second item identifier;storing the second item description electronic document in the firststorage area; and generating a second category list electronic documentcorresponding to the second item category to include at least a portionof the second item description and a reference to the second itemdescription electronic document, prior to receiving a request for thesecond category list electronic document from a web browser.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: updating a log file to include atleast one entry identifying a modification to at least one of the firstitem description electronic document and the first category listelectronic document at a time when the modification is made, whereinsaid determining is based on whether the log file contains the at leastone entry identifying the modification to at least one of the first itemdescription electronic document and the first category list electronicdocument.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing thefirst item description electronic document further comprises: storingthe first item description electronic document in a database in thefirst storage area.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofgenerating the first item description electronic document comprises:generating the first item description electronic document according to amarkup language formatted electronic document template.
 15. The methodof claim 1, wherein the step of generating the first item descriptionelectronic document further comprises: generating the first itemdescription electronic document to include a reference to the firstcategory list electronic document.
 16. The method of claim 1, whereinthe step of generating the first category list electronic documentcomprises: generating the first category list electronic documentcorresponding to the first item category according to a markup languageformatted category list electronic document template.
 17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the initiating is further configured not to initiatethe transfer of any file of which an identical copy is already stored inthe second storage area.
 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:transferring a copy of the first item description electronic document tothe second storage area; and transferring a copy of the first categorylist electronic document to the second storage area.
 19. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of generating the first item descriptionelectronic document comprises: generating the first item descriptionelectronic document to include a reference to at least one of an imagefile and a sound file, the method further comprising: storing the atleast one of the image file and the sound file in the first storagearea; transferring a copy of the first item description electronicdocument to the second storage area; and transferring a copy of thefirst category list electronic document and a copy of the at least oneof the image file and the sound file to the second storage area.
 20. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: deleting a second itemdescription electronic document in the plurality of item descriptionelectronic documents stored in the first storage area, said second itemdescription electronic document including a second item category;generating a second category list electronic document corresponding tothe second item category prior to receiving a request for the secondcategory list electronic document from a web browser, said secondcategory list electronic document not including a reference to thedeleted second item description electronic document; initiating atransfer of an instruction to delete a copy of the second itemdescription electronic document stored in the second storage area; andinitiating a transfer of a copy of the second category list electronicdocument to the second storage area.
 21. The method of claim 1, whereinthe generating the first item description electronic document includesmodifying a previous first item description electronic document toproduce the first item description electronic document, and wherein thegenerating the first category list electronic document includesmodifying a previous first category list electronic document to producethe first category list electronic document.
 22. The method of claim 1,wherein the initiating includes an update internet event triggered by auser command.
 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating includesan update internet event triggered periodically by a timer.
 24. Themethod of claim 7, wherein generating the first item descriptionelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 25. The method of claim 8, wherein generating thefirst item description electronic document is based on a markup languageformatted electronic document template.
 26. The method of claim 9,wherein generating the first category list electronic document is basedon a markup language formatted electronic document template.
 27. Themethod of claim 10, wherein generating the first category listelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 28. The method of claim 12, further comprising:generating a first markup language formatted electronic document inaccordance with a document template and including the first itemcategory, the first item identifier, and the first item description;storing the first markup language formatted electronic document in thefirst storage area; and updating the log file to include a reference tothe first markup language formatted electronic document.
 29. The methodof claim 12, further comprising: generating a first text formattedelectronic document including the first item category, the first itemidentifier, and the first item description; storing the first textformatted electronic document in the first storage area; and updatingthe log file to include a reference to the first text formattedelectronic document.
 30. The method of claim 12, wherein the step ofgenerating the first category list electronic document comprises one of:retrieving the first item description electronic document anddetermining whether the first item description electronic documentincludes the first item category which corresponds to the first categorylist electronic document, searching a plurality of electronic documentsof the hierarchical organization of electronic documents for electronicdocuments which include the first item category, and using the log fileto determine whether to retrieve the first item description electronicdocument and to determine whether the first item description electronicdocument includes the first item category which corresponds to the firstcategory list electronic document, wherein the log file includes areference to at least one electronic document which has been updated inthe first storage area.
 31. The method of claim 12, wherein said atleast one entry identifying a modification includes at least one of anidentifier of a modified item and a new content of a modified item. 32.A system for production, revision and hierarchical organization ofelectronic documents on a computer system, comprising: a computer codedevice configured to input a first item description and a first itemcategory; a computer code device configured to generate a first itemidentifier corresponding to the first item description; a computer codedevice configured to generate a first item description electronicdocument in a plurality of item description documents including thefirst item description, the first item category and the first itemidentifier; a computer code device configured to store the first itemdescription electronic document in a first storage area configured tostore generated documents; a computer code device configured to collectat least one existing item description from at least one respectiveexisting item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents including the first item descriptionelectronic document, each of said at least one respective existing itemdescription electronic document including said first item category; acomputer code device configured to generate a first category listelectronic document corresponding to the first item category prior toreceiving a request for the first category list electronic document froma web browser, said first category list electronic document including atleast a portion of the at least one existing item description and areference to each of the at least one respective existing itemdescription electronic document in the plurality of item descriptionelectronic documents; a computer code device configured to determine ifany of a copy of the first item description electronic document and eachof the at least one existing item description document are alreadystored in a second storage area configured to store published documents;and a computer code device configured to initiate a transfer of a copyof the first category list electronic document and a copy of at leastone document determined by the computer code device configured todetermine not to be already stored in the second storage area, and notinitiating a transfer of the copy of at least one document determined bythe computer code device configured to determine to be already stored inthe second storage area.
 33. The system of claim 32, wherein saidcomputer code device configured to collect further comprises a copy ofeach of said at least one existing item description electronic documentbeing already stored in a second storage area configured to storepublished documents.
 34. The system of claim 32, wherein said firstcategory list electronic document further comprises at least a portionof the first item description and a reference to the first itemdescription electronic document in the plurality of item descriptionelectronic documents.
 35. The system of claim 32, wherein the computercode device configured to input the first item description is furtherconfigured to input data into at least one item description contentfield and further configured to store the first item descriptionelectronic document in the first storage area using a first file namecorresponding to the first item category and the first item identifier.36. The system of claim 32, wherein the first item descriptionelectronic document comprises one of a text formatted first itemdescription electronic document and a markup language formatted firstitem description electronic document.
 37. The system of claim 32,wherein the first category list document comprises one of a textformatted first category list electronic document and a markup languageformatted first category list electronic document.
 38. The system ofclaim 32, wherein the computer code device configured to generate thefirst item description electronic document further comprises: a computercode device configured to generate a text format first item descriptionelectronic document having a text format and including the first itemdescription, the first item category and the first item identifier; acomputer code device configured to store the text format first itemdescription electronic document in the first storage area; and acomputer code device configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document based on the text format first item descriptionelectronic document, said first item description electronic documentincluding a markup language format.
 39. The system of claim 32, whereinthe computer code device configured to generate the first itemdescription electronic document further comprises: a computer codedevice configured to generate a first item description database recordhaving a database format and including the first item description, thefirst item category and the first item identifier; a computer codedevice configured to store the first item description database record inthe first storage area; and a computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document based on thefirst item description database record, said first item descriptionelectronic document including a markup language format.
 40. The systemof claim 32, wherein the computer code device configured to generate thefirst category list electronic document further comprises: a computercode device configured to generate a text formatted first category listelectronic document having a text format and corresponding to the firstitem category; a computer code device configured to store the textformatted first category list electronic document in the first storagearea; a computer code device configured to generate the first categorylist electronic document based on the text formatted first category listelectronic document, said first category list electronic documentincluding a markup language format; and a computer code deviceconfigured to store the first category list electronic document in thefirst storage area.
 41. The system of claim 32, wherein the computercode device configured to generate the first category list electronicdocument further comprises: a computer code device configured togenerate a first category list database record having a database formatand corresponding to the first item category; a computer code deviceconfigured to store the first category list database record in the firststorage area; a computer code device configured to generate the firstcategory list electronic document based on the first category listdatabase record, said first category list electronic document includinga markup language format; and a computer code device configured to storethe first category list electronic document in the first storage area.42. The system of claim 32, further comprising: a computer code deviceconfigured to input a second item description and a second itemcategory; a computer code device configured to generate a second itemidentifier corresponding to the second item description; a computer codedevice configured to generate a second item description electronicdocument including the second item description, the second item categoryand the second item identifier; and a computer code device configured togenerate a second category list electronic document corresponding to thesecond item category to include a reference to the second itemdescription electronic document, prior to receiving a request for thesecond category list electronic document from a web browser, andconfigured to store the second item description electronic document inthe first storage area.
 43. The system of claim 32, further comprising:a computer code device configured to update a log file to include atleast one entry identifying a modification to at least one of the firstitem description electronic document and the first category listelectronic document at a time when the modification is made, wherein thecomputer code device configured to determine determines based on whetherthe log file contains the at least one entry identifying themodification to at least one of the first item description electronicdocument and the first category list electronic document.
 44. The systemof claim 32, wherein the computer code device configured to generate thefirst item description electronic document is further configured tostore the first item description electronic document in a database inthe first storage area.
 45. The system of claim 32, wherein the computercode device configured to generate the first item description electronicdocument is further configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document according to a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 46. The system of claim 32, wherein the computer codedevice configured to generate the first item description electronicdocument is further configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document to include a reference to the first category listelectronic document.
 47. The system of claim 32, wherein the computercode device configured to generate the first category list electronicdocument is further configured to generate the first category listelectronic document according to a markup language formatted categorylist electronic document template.
 48. The system of claim 32, whereinthe computer code device configured to initiate a transfer is furtherconfigured not to initiate the transfer of any file of which anidentical copy is already stored in the second storage area.
 49. Thesystem of claim 32, further comprising: a computer code deviceconfigured to transfer a copy of the first item description electronicdocument to the second storage area; and a computer code deviceconfigured to transfer a copy of the first category list electronicdocument to the second storage area.
 50. The system of claim 32, whereinthe computer code device configured to generate the first itemdescription electronic document is further configured to generate thefirst item description electronic document to include a reference to atleast one of an image file and a sound file, the system furthercomprising: a computer code device configured to store at least one ofthe image file and the sound file in the first storage area; a computercode device configured to transfer a copy of the first item descriptionelectronic document to the second storage area; and a computer codedevice configured to transfer a copy of the first category listelectronic document and a copy of the at least one of the image file andthe sound file to the second storage area.
 51. The system of claim 32,further comprising: a computer code device configured to delete a seconditem description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents stored in the first storage area, saidsecond item description electronic document including a second itemcategory; a computer code device configured to generate a secondcategory list electronic document corresponding to the second itemcategory prior to receiving a request for the second category listelectronic document from a web browser, said second category listelectronic document not including a reference to the deleted second itemdescription electronic document; a computer code device configured toinitiate a transfer of an instruction to delete a copy of the seconditem description electronic document stored in the second storage area;and a computer code device configured to initiate a transfer of a copyof the second category list electronic document to the second storagearea.
 52. The system of claim 32, wherein the computer code deviceconfigured to generate the first item description electronic documentincludes a computer code device configured to modify a previous firstitem description electronic document to produce the first itemdescription electronic document, and wherein the computer code deviceconfigured to generate the first category list electronic documentincludes a computer code device configured to modify a previous firstcategory list electronic document to produce the first category listelectronic document.
 53. The system of claim 32, wherein the computercode device configured to initiate includes an update internet eventtriggered by a user command.
 54. The system of claim 32, wherein thecomputer code device configured to initiate includes an update internetevent triggered periodically by a timer.
 55. The system of claim 40,wherein the computer code device configured to generate the first itemdescription electronic document is based on a markup language formattedelectronic document template.
 56. The system of claim 41, wherein thecomputer code device configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 57. The system of claim 42, wherein the computer codedevice configured to generate the first category list electronicdocument is based on a markup language formatted electronic documenttemplate.
 58. The system of claim 43, wherein the computer code deviceconfigured to generate the first category list electronic document isbased on a markup language formatted electronic document template. 59.The system of claim 43, further comprising: a computer code deviceconfigured to generate a first markup language formatted electronicdocument in accordance with a document template and including the firstitem category, the first item identifier, and the first itemdescription; and a computer code device configured to update the logfile to include a reference to the first markup language formattedelectronic document, wherein the computer code device configured togenerate a first markup language is further configured to store thefirst markup language formatted electronic document in the first storagearea.
 60. The system of claim 43, further comprising: a computer codedevice configured to generate a first text formatted electronic documentincluding the first item category, the first item identifier, and thefirst item description and to store the first text formatted electronicdocument in the second storage area; and a computer code deviceconfigured to update the log file to include a reference to the firsttext formatted electronic document.
 61. The system of claim 43, whereinthe computer code device configured to generate the first category listelectronic document comprises one of: a computer code configured toretrieve the first item description electronic document and to determinewhether the first item description electronic document includes thefirst item category which corresponds to the first category listelectronic document, a computer code device configured to search aplurality of electronic documents of the hierarchical organization ofelectronic documents for electronic documents which include the firstitem category, and a computer code device configured to use the log fileto determine whether to retrieve the first item description electronicdocument and to determine whether the first item description electronicdocument includes the first item category which corresponds to the firstcategory list electronic document, wherein the log file includes areference to at least one electronic document which has been updated inthe first storage area.
 62. The system of claim 43, wherein said atleast one entry identifying a modification includes at least one of anidentifier of a modified item and a new content of a modified item. 63.A computer program product configured to store program instructions forexecution on a computer system enabling the computer system to performthe steps of: inputting a first item description and a first itemcategory; generating a first item identifier corresponding to the firstitem description; generating a first item description electronicdocument in a plurality of item description electronic documentsincluding the first item description, the first item category and thefirst item identifier; storing the first item description electronicdocument in a first storage area; collecting at least one existing itemdescription from at least one respective existing item descriptionelectronic document in the plurality of item description electronicdocuments including the first item description electronic document, eachof said at least one respective existing item description electronicdocument including said first item category; generating a first categorylist electronic document corresponding to the first item category priorto receiving a request for the first category list electronic documentfrom a web browser, said first category list electronic documentincluding at least a portion of each of the at least one existing itemdescription and a reference to each of the at least one respectiveexisting item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents; determining if any of a copy of thefirst item description electronic document and each of the at least oneexisting item description document are already stored in a secondstorage area configured to store published documents; and initiating atransfer of a copy of the first category list electronic document and acopy of at least one document determined by the determining not to bealready stored in the second storage area, and not initiating a transferof the copy of at least one document determined by the determining to bealready stored in the second storage area.
 64. The computer programproduct of claim 63, wherein said collecting further comprises a copy ofeach of said at least one existing item description electronic documentbeing already stored in a second storage area configured to storepublished documents.
 65. The computer program product of claim 63,wherein said first category list electronic document further comprisesat least a portion of the first item description and a reference to thefirst item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents.
 66. The computer program product ofclaim 63, wherein the step of inputting the first item descriptionfurther comprises inputting data into at least one item descriptioncontent field and the step of storing the first item descriptionelectronic document further comprises storing the first item descriptionelectronic document in the first storage area using a first file namecorresponding to the first item category and the first item identifier.67. The computer program product of claim 63, wherein the first itemdescription electronic document comprises one of a text formatted firstitem description electronic document and a markup language formattedfirst item description electronic document.
 68. The computer programproduct of claim 63, wherein the first category list document comprisesone of a text formatted first category list electronic document and amarkup language formatted first category list electronic document. 69.The computer program product of claim 63, wherein generating the firstitem description electronic document further comprises: generating atext format first item description electronic document having a textformat and including the first item description, the first item categoryand the first item identifier; storing the text format first itemdescription electronic document in the first storage area; andgenerating the first item description electronic document based on thetext format first item description electronic document, said first itemdescription electronic document including a markup language format. 70.The computer program product of claim 63, wherein generating the firstitem description electronic document further comprises: generating afirst item description database record having a database format andincluding the first item description, the first item category and thefirst item identifier; storing the first item description databaserecord in the first storage area; and generating the first itemdescription electronic document based on the first item descriptiondatabase record, said first item description electronic documentincluding a markup language format.
 71. The computer program product ofclaim 63, wherein generating the first category list electronic documentfurther comprises: generating a text formatted first category listelectronic document having a text format and corresponding to the firstitem category; storing the text formatted first category list electronicdocument in the first storage area; generating the first category listelectronic document based on the text formatted first category listelectronic document, said first category list electronic documentincluding a markup language format; and storing the first category listelectronic document in the first storage area.
 72. The computer programproduct of claim 63, wherein generating the first category listelectronic document further comprises: generating a first category listdatabase record having a database format and corresponding to the firstitem category; storing the first category list database record in thefirst storage area; generating the first category list electronicdocument based on the first category list database record, said firstcategory list electronic document including a markup language format;and storing the first category list electronic document in the firststorage area.
 73. The computer program product of claim 63, whichfurther stores program instructions for performing the steps of:inputting a second item description and a second item category;generating a second item identifier corresponding to the second itemdescription; generating a second item description electronic documentincluding the second item description, the second item category and thesecond item identifier; storing the second item description electronicdocument in the first storage area; and generating a second categorylist electronic document corresponding to the second item category toinclude at least a portion of the second item description and areference to the second item description electronic document, prior toreceiving a request for the second category list electronic documentfrom a web browser.
 74. The computer program product of claim 63,further comprising: updating a log file to include at least one entryidentifying a modification to at least one of the first item descriptionelectronic document and the first category list electronic document at atime when the modification is made, wherein said determining is based onwhether the log file contains the at least one entry identifying themodification to at least one of the first item description electronicdocument and the first category list electronic document.
 75. Thecomputer program product of claim 63, wherein the step of storing thefirst item description electronic document further comprises: storingthe first item description electronic document in a database in thefirst storage area.
 76. The computer program product of claim 63,wherein the step of generating the first item description electronicdocument comprises: generating the first item description electronicdocument according to a markup language formatted electronic documenttemplate.
 77. The computer program product of claim 63, wherein the stepof generating the first item description electronic document furthercomprises: generating the first item description electronic document toinclude a reference to the first category list electronic document. 78.The computer program product of claim 63, wherein the step of generatingthe first category list electronic document comprises: generating thefirst category list electronic document corresponding to the first itemcategory according to a a markup language formatted category listelectronic document template.
 79. The computer program product of claim63, wherein the initiating is further configured not to initiate thetransfer of any file of which an identical copy is already stored on thesecond storage area.
 80. The computer program product of claim 63,further comprising: transferring a copy of the first item descriptionelectronic document to the second storage area; and transferring a copyof the first category list electronic document to the second storagearea.
 81. The computer program product of claim 64, wherein the step ofgenerating the first item description electronic document comprises:generating the first item description electronic document to include areference to at least one of an image file and a sound file, the methodfurther comprising: storing the at least one of the image file and thesound file in the first storage area; transferring a copy of the firstitem description electronic document to the second storage area; andtransferring a copy of the first category list electronic document and acopy of the at least one of the image file and the sound file to thesecond storage area.
 82. The computer program product of claim 63,further comprising: deleting a second item description electronicdocument in the plurality of item description electronic documentsstored in the first storage area, said second item descriptionelectronic document including a second item category; generating asecond category list electronic document corresponding to the seconditem category prior to receiving a request for the second category listelectronic document from a web browser, said second category listelectronic document not including a reference to the deleted second itemdescription electronic document; initiating a transfer of an instructionto delete a copy of the second item description electronic documentstored in the second storage area; and initiating a transfer of a copyof the second category list electronic document to the second storagearea.
 83. The computer program product of claim 63, wherein thegenerating the first item description electronic document includesmodifying a previous first item description electronic document toproduce the first item description electronic document, and wherein thegenerating the first category list electronic document includesmodifying a previous first category list electronic document to producethe first category list electronic document.
 84. The computer programproduct of claim 63, wherein the initiating includes an update internetevent triggered by a user command.
 85. The computer program product ofclaim 63, wherein the initiating includes an update internet eventtriggered periodically by a timer.
 86. The computer program product ofclaim 69, wherein generating the first item description electronicdocument is based on a markup language formatted electronic documenttemplate.
 87. The computer program product of claim 70, whereingenerating the first item description electronic document is based on amarkup language formatted electronic document template.
 88. The computerprogram product of claim 71, wherein generating the first category listelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 89. The computer program product of claim 72, whereingenerating the first category list electronic document is based on amarkup language formatted electronic document template.
 90. The computerprogram product of claim 73, which further stores program instructionsfor performing the steps of: generating a first markup languageformatted electronic document in accordance with a document template andincluding the first item category, the first item identifier, and thefirst item description; storing the first markup language formattedelectronic document in the first storage area; and updating the log fileto include a reference to the first markup language formatted electronicdocument.
 91. The computer program product of claim 73, which furtherstores program instructions for performing the steps of: generating afirst text formatted electronic document including the first itemcategory, the first item identifier, and the first item description;storing the first text formatted electronic document in the secondstorage area; and updating the log file to include a reference to thefirst text formatted electronic document.
 92. The computer programproduct of claim 73, wherein the step of generating the first categorylist electronic document comprises one of: retrieving the first itemdescription electronic document and determining whether the first itemdescription electronic document includes the first item category whichcorresponds to the first category list electronic document, searching aplurality of electronic documents of the hierarchical organization ofelectronic documents for electronic documents which include the firstitem category, and using the log file to determine whether to retrievethe first item description electronic document and to determine whetherthe first item description electronic document includes the first itemcategory which corresponds to the first category list electronicdocument, wherein the log file includes a reference to at least oneelectronic document which has been updated in the first storage area.93. The computer program product of claim 73, wherein said at least oneentry identifying a modification includes at least one of an identifierof a modified item and a new content of a modified item.
 94. A methodfor production, revision and hierarchical organization of electronicdocuments on a computer system, comprising: inputting a first itemdescription and a first item category; generating a first itemidentifier corresponding to the first item description; generating afirst item description electronic document in a plurality of itemdescription electronic documents including the first item description,the first item category and the first item identifier; storing the firstitem description electronic document in a publication storage areaconfigured to store generated documents for publication; collecting atleast one existing item description from at least one respectiveexisting item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents including the first item descriptionelectronic document, each of said at least one respective existing itemdescription electronic document including said first item category; andgenerating a first category list electronic document corresponding tothe first item category prior to receiving a request for the firstcategory list electronic document from a web browser, said firstcategory list electronic document including at least a portion of eachof the at least one existing item description and a reference to each ofthe at least one respective existing item description electronicdocument in the plurality of item description electronic documents. 95.The method of claim 94, wherein said first category list electronicdocument further comprises at least a portion of the first itemdescription and a reference to the first item description electronicdocument in the plurality of item description electronic documents. 96.The method of claim 94, wherein the step of inputting the first itemdescription further comprises inputting data into at least one itemdescription content field and the step of storing the first itemdescription electronic document further comprises storing the first itemdescription electronic document in the publication storage area using afirst file name corresponding to the first item category and the firstitem identifier.
 97. The method of claim 94, wherein the first itemdescription electronic document comprises one of a text formatted firstitem description electronic document and a markup language formattedfirst item description electronic document.
 98. The method of claim 94,wherein the first category list document comprises one of a textformatted first category list electronic document and a markup languageformatted first category list electronic document.
 99. The method ofclaim 94, wherein generating the first item description electronicdocument further comprises: generating a text format first itemdescription electronic document having a text format and including thefirst item description, the first item category and the first itemidentifier; storing the text format first item description electronicdocument in the publication storage area; and generating the first itemdescription electronic document based on the text format first itemdescription electronic document, said first item description electronicdocument including a markup language format.
 100. The method of claim94, wherein generating the first item description electronic documentfurther comprises: generating a first item description database recordhaving a database format and including the first item description, thefirst item category and the first item identifier; storing the firstitem description database record in the publication storage area; andgenerating the first item description electronic document based on thefirst item description database record, said first item descriptionelectronic document including a markup language format.
 101. The methodof claim 94, wherein generating the first category list electronicdocument further comprises: generating a text formatted first categorylist electronic document having a text format and corresponding to thefirst item category; storing the text formatted first category listelectronic document in the publication storage area; generating thefirst category list electronic document based on the text formattedfirst category list electronic document, said first category listelectronic document including a markup language format; and storing thefirst category list electronic document in the publication storage area.102. The method of claim 94, wherein generating the first category listelectronic document further comprises: generating a first category listdatabase record having a database format and corresponding to the firstitem category; storing the first category list database record in thepublication storage area; generating the first category list electronicdocument based on the first category list database record, said firstcategory list electronic document including a markup language format;and storing the first category list electronic document in thepublication storage area.
 103. The method of claim 94, furthercomprising: inputting a second item description and a second itemcategory; generating a second item identifier corresponding to thesecond item description; generating a second item description electronicdocument including the second item description, the second item categoryand the second item identifier; storing the second item descriptionelectronic document in the publication storage area; and generating asecond category list electronic document corresponding to the seconditem category to include at least a portion of the second itemdescription and a reference to the second item description electronicdocument, prior to receiving a request for the second category listelectronic document from a web browser.
 104. The method of claim 94,wherein the step of generating the first item description electronicdocument comprises: generating the first item description electronicdocument according to a markup language formatted electronic documenttemplate.
 105. The method of claim 94, wherein the step of generatingthe first item description electronic document further comprises:generating the first item description electronic document to include areference to the first category list electronic document.
 106. Themethod of claim 94, wherein the step of generating the first categorylist electronic document comprises: generating the first category listelectronic document corresponding to the first item category accordingto a markup language formatted category list electronic documenttemplate.
 107. The method of claim 94, wherein the step of generatingthe first item description electronic document comprises: generating thefirst item description electronic document to include a reference to atleast one of an image file and a sound file, the method furthercomprising storing the at least one of the image file and the sound filein the publication storage area.
 108. The method of claim 94, furthercomprising: deleting a second item description electronic document inthe plurality of item description electronic documents stored in thepublication storage area, said second item description electronicdocument including a second item category; and generating a secondcategory list electronic document corresponding to the second itemcategory prior to receiving a request for the second category listelectronic document from a web browser, said second category listelectronic document not including a reference to the deleted second itemdescription electronic document.
 109. The method of claim 94, whereinthe generating the first item description electronic document includesmodifying a previous first item description electronic document toproduce the first item description electronic document, and wherein thegenerating the first category list electronic document includesmodifying a previous first category list electronic document to producethe first category list electronic document.
 110. The method of claim99, wherein generating the first item description electronic document isbased on a markup language formatted electronic document template. 111.The method of claim 100, wherein generating the first item descriptionelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.
 112. The method of claim 101, wherein generating thefirst category list electronic document is based on a markup languageformatted electronic document template.
 113. The method of claim 102,wherein generating the first category list electronic document is basedon a markup language formatted electronic document template.
 114. Asystem for production, revision and hierarchical organization ofelectronic documents on a computer system, comprising: a computer codedevice configured to input a first item description and a first itemcategory; a computer code device configured to generate a first itemidentifier corresponding to the first item description; a computer codedevice configured to generate a first item description electronicdocument in a plurality of item description documents including thefirst item description, the first item category and the first itemidentifier; a computer code device configured to store the first itemdescription electronic document in a publication storage area configuredto store generated documents for publication; a computer code deviceconfigured to collect at least one existing item description from atleast one respective existing item description electronic document inthe plurality of item description electronic documents including thefirst item description electronic document, each of said at least onerespective existing item description electronic document including saidfirst item category; and a computer code device configured to generate afirst category list electronic document corresponding to the first itemcategory prior to receiving a request for the first category listelectronic document from a web browser, said first category listelectronic document including at least a portion of the at least oneexisting item description and a reference to each of the at least onerespective existing item description electronic document in theplurality of item description electronic documents.
 115. The system ofclaim 114, wherein said first category list electronic document furthercomprises at least a portion of the first item description and areference to the first item description electronic document in theplurality of item description electronic documents.
 116. The system ofclaim 114, wherein the computer code device configured to input thefirst item description is further configured to input data into at leastone item description content field and further configured to store thefirst item description electronic document in the publication storagearea using a first file name corresponding to the first item categoryand the first item identifier.
 117. The system of claim 114, wherein thefirst item description electronic document comprises one of a textformatted first item description electronic document and a markuplanguage formatted first item description electronic document.
 118. Thesystem of claim 114, wherein the first category list document comprisesone of a text formatted first category list electronic document and amarkup language formatted first category list electronic document. 119.The system of claim 114, wherein the computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document furthercomprises: a computer code device configured to generate a text formatfirst item description electronic document having a text format andincluding the first item description, the first item category and thefirst item identifier; a computer code device configured to store thetext format first item description electronic document in thepublication storage area; and a computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document based on thetext format first item description electronic document, said first itemdescription electronic document including a markup language format. 120.The system of claim 114, wherein the computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document furthercomprises: a computer code device configured to generate a first itemdescription database record having a database format and including thefirst item description, the first item category and the first itemidentifier; a computer code device configured to store the first itemdescription database record in the publication storage area; and acomputer code device configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document based on the first item description database record,said first item description electronic document including a markuplanguage format.
 121. The system of claim 114, wherein the computer codedevice configured to generate the first category list electronicdocument further comprises: a computer code device configured togenerate a text formatted first category list electronic document havinga text format and corresponding to the first item category; a computercode device configured to store the text formatted first category listelectronic document in the publication storage area; a computer codedevice configured to generate the first category list electronicdocument based on the text formatted first category list electronicdocument, said first category list electronic document including amarkup language format; and a computer code device configured to storethe first category list electronic document in the publication storagearea.
 122. The system of claim 114, wherein the computer code deviceconfigured to generate the first category list electronic documentfurther comprises: a computer code device configured to generate a firstcategory list database record having a database format and correspondingto the first item category; a computer code device configured to storethe first category list database record in the first storage area; acomputer code device configured to generate the first category listelectronic document based on the first category list database record,said first category list electronic document including a markup languageformat; and a computer code device configured to store the firstcategory list electronic document in the first storage area.
 123. Thesystem of claim 114, further comprising: a computer code deviceconfigured to input a second item description and a second itemcategory; a computer code device configured to generate a second itemidentifier corresponding to the second item description; a computer codedevice configured to generate a second item description electronicdocument including the second item description, the second item categoryand the second item identifier; and a computer code device configured togenerate a second category list electronic document corresponding to thesecond item category to include a reference to the second itemdescription electronic document, prior to receiving a request for thesecond category list electronic document from a web browser, andconfigured to store the second item description electronic document inthe publication storage area.
 124. The system of claim 114, wherein thecomputer code device configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document is further configured to generate the first itemdescription electronic document according to a markup language formattedelectronic document template.
 125. The system of claim 114, wherein thecomputer code device configured to generate the first item descriptionelectronic document is further configured to generate the first itemdescription electronic document to include a reference to the firstcategory list electronic document.
 126. The system of claim 114, whereinthe computer code device configured to generate the first category listelectronic document is further configured to generate the first categorylist electronic document according to a markup language formattedcategory list electronic document template.
 127. The system of claim114, wherein the computer code device configured to generate the firstitem description electronic document is further configured to generatethe first item description electronic document to include a reference toat least one of an image file and a sound file, the system furthercomprising a computer code device configured to store at least one ofthe image file and the sound file in the publication storage area. 128.The system of claim 114, further comprising: a computer code deviceconfigured to delete a second item description electronic document inthe plurality of item description electronic documents stored in thepublication storage area, said second item description electronicdocument including a second item category; and a computer code deviceconfigured to generate a second category list electronic documentcorresponding to the second item category prior to receiving a requestfor the second category list electronic document from a web browser,said second category list electronic document not including a referenceto the deleted second item description electronic document.
 129. Thesystem of claim 114, wherein the computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document includes acomputer code device configured to modify a previous first itemdescription electronic document to produce the first item descriptionelectronic document, and wherein the computer code device configured togenerate the first category list electronic document includes a computercode device configured to modify a previous first category listelectronic document to produce the first category list electronicdocument.
 130. The system of claim 119, wherein the computer code deviceconfigured to generate the first item description electronic document isbased on a markup language formatted electronic document template. 131.The system of claim 120, wherein the computer code device configured togenerate the first item description electronic document is based on amarkup language formatted electronic document template.
 132. The systemof claim 121, wherein the computer code device configured to generatethe first category list electronic document is based on a markuplanguage formatted electronic document template.
 133. The system ofclaim 122, wherein the computer code device configured to generate thefirst category list electronic document is based on a markup languageformatted electronic document template.
 134. A computer program productconfigured to store program instructions for execution on a computersystem enabling the computer system to perform the steps of: inputting afirst item description and a first item category; generating a firstitem identifier corresponding to the first item description; generatinga first item description electronic document in a plurality of itemdescription electronic documents including the first item description,the first item category and the first item identifier; storing the firstitem description electronic document in a publication storage area;collecting at least one existing item description from at least onerespective existing item description electronic document in theplurality of item description electronic documents including the firstitem description electronic document, each of said at least onerespective existing item description electronic document including saidfirst item category; and generating a first category list electronicdocument corresponding to the first item category prior to receiving arequest for the first category list electronic document from a webbrowser, said first category list electronic document including at leasta portion of each of the at least one existing item description and areference to each of the at least one respective existing itemdescription electronic document in the plurality of item descriptionelectronic documents.
 135. The computer program product of claim 134,wherein said first category list electronic document further comprisesat least a portion of the first item description and a reference to thefirst item description electronic document in the plurality of itemdescription electronic documents.
 136. The computer program product ofclaim 134, wherein the step of inputting the first item descriptionfurther comprises inputting data into at least one item descriptioncontent field and the step of storing the first item descriptionelectronic document further comprises storing the first item descriptionelectronic document in the publication storage area using a first filename corresponding to the first item category and the first itemidentifier.
 137. The computer program product of claim 134, wherein thefirst item description electronic document comprises one of a textformatted first item description electronic document and a markuplanguage formatted first item description electronic document.
 138. Thecomputer program product of claim 134, wherein the first category listdocument comprises one of a text formatted first category listelectronic document and a markup language formatted first category listelectronic document.
 139. The computer program product of claim 134,wherein generating the first item description electronic documentfurther comprises: generating a text format first item descriptionelectronic document having a text format and including the first itemdescription, the first item category and the first item identifier;storing the text format first item description electronic document inthe publication storage area; and generating the first item descriptionelectronic document based on the text format first item descriptionelectronic document, said first item description electronic documentincluding a markup language format.
 140. The computer program product ofclaim 134, wherein generating the first item description electronicdocument further comprises: generating a first item description databaserecord having a database format and including the first itemdescription, the first item category and the first item identifier;storing the first item description database record in the publicationstorage area; and generating the first item description electronicdocument based on the first item description database record, said firstitem description electronic document including a markup language format.141. The computer program product of claim 134, wherein generating thefirst category list electronic document further comprises: generating atext formatted first category list electronic document having a textformat and corresponding to the first item category; storing the textformatted first category list electronic document in the publicationstorage area; generating the first category list electronic documentbased on the text formatted first category list electronic document,said first category list electronic document including a markup languageformat; and storing the first category list electronic document in thepublication storage area.
 142. The computer program product of claim134, wherein generating the first category list electronic documentfurther comprises: generating a first category list database recordhaving a database format and corresponding to the first item category;storing the first category list database record in the publicationstorage area; generating the first category list electronic documentbased on the first category list database record, said first categorylist electronic document including a markup language format; and storingthe first category list electronic document in the publication storagearea.
 143. The computer program product of claim 134, which furtherstores program instructions for performing the steps of: inputting asecond item description and a second item category; generating a seconditem identifier corresponding to the second item description; generatinga second item description electronic document including the second itemdescription, the second item category and the second item identifier;storing the second item description electronic document in thepublication storage area; and generating a second category listelectronic document corresponding to the second item category to includeat least a portion of the second item description and a reference to thesecond item description electronic document, prior to receiving arequest for the second category list electronic document from a webbrowser.
 144. The computer program product of claim 134, wherein thestep of generating the first item description electronic documentcomprises: generating the first item description electronic documentaccording to a markup language formatted electronic document template.145. The computer program product of claim 134, wherein the step ofgenerating the first item description electronic document furthercomprises: generating the first item description electronic document toinclude a reference to the first category list electronic document. 146.The computer program product of claim 134, wherein the step ofgenerating the first category list electronic document comprises:generating the first category list electronic document corresponding tothe first item category according to a markup language formattedcategory list electronic document template.
 147. The computer programproduct of claim 134, wherein the step of generating the first itemdescription electronic document comprises: generating the first itemdescription electronic document to include a reference to at least oneof an image file and a sound file, the method further comprising storingthe at least one of the image file and the sound file in the publicationstorage area.
 148. The computer program product of claim 134, furthercomprising: deleting a second item description electronic document inthe plurality of item description electronic documents stored in thepublication storage area, said second item description electronicdocument including a second item category; and generating a secondcategory list electronic document corresponding to the second itemcategory prior to receiving a request for the second category listelectronic document from a web browser, said second category listelectronic document not including a reference to the deleted second itemdescription electronic document.
 149. The computer program product ofclaim 134, wherein the generating the first item description electronicdocument includes modifying a previous first item description electronicdocument to produce the first item description electronic document, andwherein the generating the first category list electronic documentincludes modifying a previous first category list electronic document toproduce the first category list electronic document.
 150. The computerprogram product of claim 139, wherein generating the first itemdescription electronic document is based on a markup language formattedelectronic document template.
 151. The computer program product of claim140, wherein generating the first item description electronic documentis based on a markup language formatted electronic document template.152. The computer program product of claim 141, wherein generating thefirst category list electronic document is based on a markup languageformatted electronic document template.
 153. The computer programproduct of claim 142, wherein generating the first category listelectronic document is based on a markup language formatted electronicdocument template.